Over the Odds
by Ankita Verma
Summary: Hermione Granger decides to find Draco Malfoy when everyone believed that he was dead. What drives her to do it? Why she decides to do something which is risk to her job and life? Read and find out how and where she finds Draco and how it changes everything!
1. chapter 1

_Disclaimer:- I do not own Harry Potter. It is solely owned by J.K. Rowling._

 _A/N:- This is my first story, please be gentle. I don't have a beta so please forgive any mistake, I have done my best and I will edit if I find any more mistakes._

 **Chapter 1  
**

If someone would have asked Hermione Granger at the end of the war what is she going to do in her life then she would have told that person that she is going to make sure that muggleborns get equal rights, every fugitive death eater goes to Azkaban and maybe after few years marry Ronald Weasley. But after four years of the second wizarding war her life is complete opposite of what she had once imagined.

Working at eight o'clock on Friday evening she was alone in her office, staring at a file on her desk with a name she hated almost as much as she hated Voldemort if not more.

With that name came all the memories that always told her what her place was in the society. She never showed that she was affected by it or cared what the people said or what the so called elite of the society told her but recently she has not got the luxury to not think about it.

She was working at a dead end job in ministry where she was nothing but a personal servant of a mossy, gruesome, repulsive and awful old man. Mr. Andrew Wande, second to the secretary of head of Department of Care of Magical Creatures, was an arrogant pureblood who believed that Mudbloods are no better than house elfs, so much for Hermione's aim of blood equality.

But her job was not something she cared about, it was just a mean to earn her living. Her personal life was much more messy than her professional life. Her parents were presumed dead, as if it was not enough Ron broke up with her because she was too uptight for him.

Harry was the only constant in her life but they too were drifting apart.

It was difficult to be someone's friend when all the people they hang out with don't like you. After the break up Hermione tried to be normal with the Weasleys but it was very awkward. Ginny thought that she was the reason why her brother has took up drinking and hooking up with any girl he finds on streets. She held Hermione responsible for her brother becoming a philanderer.

Hermione went to the Burrow for a few Sunday lunches but with Mrs. Weasley trying to fix her again with Ron, Mr. Weasley giving her pitiful looks and Ginny's hatred she left going.

But this was not a time for her personal musings. The file on the desk drew her attention again. She was supposed to complete her work regarding the case. The file read :- "Unregistered Dementors- Malfoy Manor"

Everyone knew that Lucius Malfoy has died a year ago in Azkaban but no one knew where the other two Malfoys were, no one claimed Lucius' body. There was no trace left of Narcissa or Draco Malfoy. Everyone considered them dead but Hermione believed differently.

Something about Malfoy has always disturbed her, in school he had always insulted her then during the war his shallow looks had drawn her attention and now his absence. She knew that an arrogant prat like him will not vanish like a nobody, then what was it? Where was Draco Malfoy?

The lights flickered and Hermione saw the time 8:45 PM displayed on her digital watch. It was getting late but Malfoy's case was making her restless. Although she was just supposed to write the summary of the case for her boss but she was not satisfied by it.

The report said that aurors have found 150 dementors in the dungeons and many uncounted who were hiding in different parts of the manor.

After the war the aurors have found dementors at many places but this was the first time when they have located them in this large number. They were waiting for reinforcement to bring them back to Azkaban.

Hermione didn't know what triggered it but the next moment she was gathering her stuff. She picked her purse, her cloak, her wand and moved towards the ministry exit.

Determined to find about Malfoy. She clutched her wand and apprated to Malfoy Manor, her watch showing the time 9:15 PM.

 ** _A/N:- Thank you everyone. Please write your reviews and let me know how you liked it!_**

 ** _I will be updating the next chapter soon ;) :)_**


	2. Chapter 2

_I am back! Here's the second chapter._ _Enjoy!_

;)

 **Chapter** **2- The Malfoy Manor  
**

Hermione didn't do anything without a plan, she was rational one of the Golden Trio but tonight she was standing in front of a place once housed by the darkest wizard of the era, without a single idea in her head.

The sixteen century Manor stood magnificently brightened by the moon light. Hermione's inner traveller would have definitely liked a tour of the manor but her history with it screamed the opposite.

The night breeze ruffled her hair and propelled her to wrap her cloak more securely around her petite figure.

She could sense the presence of dementors, even at the outermost boundary of the manor, and it sent a chill down her spine. Clutching her wand firmly in her hand she pushed open the front doors.

The garden on both sides of her was pleasing and yet it's unfamiliarity made her cautious but in the last four years so many unpredictable things had happened that Hermione didn't question her presence at this place. She rather liked the impromptu of her action.

Walking through the passage leading to the manor she came up with a plan : she will go the manor's library and will look up for any clue about Malfoy's whereabouts and if she did not find anything then she will pick up all the books on Malfoy's family history.

The plan sounded simple but the problem lay in locating the library in the manor of the size of Hogwarts itself. But Hermione was not someone to back away, summoning her patronus she stepped in the manor.

The foyer, although beautiful, was alarmingly silent. The high ceiling, the black marbled floor and the paintings did nothing to cool down her nerves. Just across the doors she has received the worst torture of her life.

Instinctively her fingers grazed on the letters of 'Mudblood' engraved on her arm. The word, cursed with magic, never faded away. It kept reminding her of what she was to few people, even if she does not want to believe in it. Hermione stopped herself to think more about it and focused on the work for which she came here.

With each passing second she could feel the dementors nearing upon her. She didn't know where they were but they could definitely sense a human being. Keeping her patronus close she moved towards the east wing and opened the first was a lounge.

With just the light of the moon and her patronus the room looked daunting. The room was grand and beautiful but the antique theme, the mahogany floor and the ancient furniture gave it all the more dangerous. Swallowing hard Hermione closed the door.

If the first room is like this she could not imagine what the whole manor will be like. Why will anyone live in a place which looked so gloomy and dangerous? Maybe that is why Malfoy was so cold hearted.

The door on the left opened to a small garden. It was one of the most beautiful garden she had ever seen. It was filled with exotic flowers and many tropical plants.

Her mind wondered to the days when Harry, Ron, other Weasleys and she used to ungnome the burrow's garden every holiday.

How Ron will throw tantrums and how Molly chided him, how Harry loved it because it gave him a sense of family and how throughout the years Weasleys became second family to her. She closed the door and with an amused smile, moved further on.

Even in the absence of it's owner how the manor was well tended and dirtless was out of Hermione's mind. She was surprised from the amount of emotion the manor can arouse in her. One moment she was nervous, the other scared and the next impressed.

The corridor was so long and dark that it looked more like a tunnel, it had portraits of generations of Malfoys on both sides. There were the only thing which told Hermione that she was going in the right direction.

They were whispering and hissing among themselves.

'Filthy Mudblood, get out of my house'

one of the many blond haired Malfoy shouted at her.

Hermione sneered at him and moved away.

Though the last portrait grabbed her attention, a 16 year old Draco Malfoy was staring at her. His strong jaw line, pointed chin and sharp nose gave him an aristocratic look. The light from her patronus and his pale skin made him look like he was illuminated from within.

If there would not have had any stereotypes between them she would have called him handsome but not now when she knew the reality behind this handsome face.

While thinking about Malfoy's behavior in school and towards her she kept opening doors after doors. By the time she reached the end of the corridor her patience was wearing away. She had found bedrooms, bathrooms and sitting rooms but not a library.

Soon, she started questioning her decision to come here. She had no good reason to do this. After all, why will Malfoy help her? It was 9:47 at night, she should go home and rest.

Taking a deep breath and ignoring her train of thoughts, Hermione climbed up the stairs. To her relief the first door was the library, she gasped taking in it's size. It was twice the size of Hogwarts library.

No wonder Malfoy was second to her in school. With this amount of available knowledge anyone would be! She could spend months here without getting bored. It was one of the most beautiful sight she had seen. Grazing her hand through the spine of the books, she found books on potions, herbology, healing, wizard history, literature and many topics she know nothing about.

She lighted a lantern and moved to the desk. There were blank parchments and few bills dated 5 years back or so but no indication of any recent activities.

Hermione checked it once again just to be sure but after finding nothing of relevance in her third check she got irritated. The drawers were locked magically, and did not open with all the spells Hermione knew. Tired, she pulled out the chair and sat down.

Now she will have to look for books on Malfoy's history, but the problem was from where to start. The library had thousand and thousand of books. It may take weeks to get hold of the right book through which she could know about Malfoy's origin or possible whereabouts.

Hermione was sure Malfoy was living somewhere hidden on one of his family property. He just could not die. If he can survive a war he can survive the aftermath too.

He should know what was happening to his childhood home, at least this was how Hermione justified coming here.

Hermione would not let anyone intrude in her childhood home. It was the house she grew up in. Her parents had themselves painted her nursery, her dad had made a tree house for her in the backyard. It was also the last thing she had of them.

When she was six, her dad has explained to her what each and every stoke or dent meant on the walls of her room. The mixed blue and pink was to teach her it was okay to like both, the world map to show her how much this world has to offer and the stars on the ceiling to tell her that she is one of them.

Now she lived in her own apartment but she could not part ways with the home in which she lived with her parents and she imagined even Malfoy was not so heartless to not care about his home.

She moved to the nearest shelf and started taking out books which she thought was relevant. Going through books after books she learnt about Malfoy's shares in different companies and how and when they got profit and incurred loss, the Malfoy industry which was located through out the world, how Malfoy's grandfather was the first follower of The dark Lord from their family and how Lucius followed his father's footsteps.

There was no mention of females of the family other then their name and bloodlines. Exactly how she imagined.

The thing that intrigued Hermione was that there was one single male in every generation.

How convenient! No division of family property and income.

The clock chimed 12. Hermione should have left by now but her curiosity kept her going.

Soon she found out that Malfoy's owned a manor in Italy, château in France, a country house in Spain and many more properties. He could be on any of these or even those she did not find about.

She stuffed few books in her bag and left the library.

The way back to the foyer was short and simple. But at the foyer, her mind once again went to the Drawing room.

Remembering her past and thinking that maybe facing it once again will free Hermione from it, she pushed open the doors.

The room was as she has once imagined. The chandelier which Dobby had destroyed to save them was in it's place, looking brand new.

The room was as bare as it was last time.

No paintings, No furniture, just nothing at all.

Hermione took few steps inside the room and reached the place where she once lay withering beneath Bellatrix Lestrange.

That woman left a greater effect on her than the entire war. She had never felt that helpless ever in her life.

Hermione felt a deep sadness seeping in her. Suddenly she felt something graze her sides and she remembered she was in a house full of dementors. Her luck till now had her forget about them but not now.

A huge black hooded dementor tried to come near her but she sent him backward by her patronus. Another two came and she sent them back too.

But soon there was more than 20 of them surrounding her from all sides. She needed to get out of this place as more were swarming in from the dungeons.

She sent few of them back but they came from the other side, it was as if they were hungry for feelings because of not getting any for a long time.

She tried to move but failed, she could feel her magic becoming weak and her wand slipping away.

The biggest among them moved closer to her. She was reminded of the first time she cried in school because Ron had made fun of her. In second year when she felt she will have leave the school.

Hermione tried to fight the dementors. She started thinking of happy memories, her parents, Hogwarts, their friendship, the Weasleys. But it was not enough. Without magic she could not fight them and she could not find the strength.

She could remember when her parents cried when she had told them about the upcoming war and the part she has to play in it. She could remember how Ron left Harry and her in the woods and slowly her wand fell on the floor.

The dementors started sucking every happy memory out of her. Her body slipped on the floor without her consent. She was once again laying on the same place.

She could hear the Australian ministry telling her about her parents death. She could hear Ron's word when he left her.

She was staring at the dementor's face which has just one big hole on his entire face. He lowered his face, Hermione could feel her soul leaving her body. Few tears slipped to her cheeks. She was going to die, coming here proved wrong, so wrong.

Her body was getting numb, she could not sense her arms, her mind was shutting down.

Just when Hermione gave up, a huge eagle swarmed into the room and after it a man.

The man moved fastly towards her and his eagle sent all the dementors off her.

Hermione tried to recognize him. He was well built and looked her age but she could not see his face and with all the exertion her eyes were shutting down.

He stooped down and picked Hermione in his arms. Hermione looked on his face and murmured

" Zabini? " before fainting.

 _A/N:-_

 _How is it?_

 _You liked it? Review and let me know :)_

 _No, Malfoy is not coming so soon. You will have to wait ;)_


	3. Chapter 3- The Unexpected Meeting

**Chapter 3- The Unexpected Meeting  
**

Hermione stirred awake and found herself in a dimly lit room. By the sight of it, it looked like a hospital room but she had no memory of coming or for how long she had been here.

The last thing that she remembered was Zabini picking her up and given his impression, she expected to wake up in a dark dungeon rather than on a clean hospital bed.

She was busy looking outside the large window and thinking about what had happened at the Malfoy manor when someone came in.

"Harry" Hermione addressed her best friend in a soft voice.

"Hi Hermione, how are you feeling?" the black haired wizard inquired.

"Better. Where am I?" she asked, even though she knew.

"At St. Mungo's. What do you remember last?"

"Why, what happened ? How did you find me?" Hermione questioned him back, not willing to reveal any details to him.

Harry glared at her, "You were left unconscious in front of George's shop. He found you and brought you here."

"Oh! Thank him for me, would you?"

Harry simply nodded. He did not trust his voice right now. He fretted that he may say something hurtful to his friend. He closed his eyes, "Hermione would you care to tell me what's happening? It's the third time in last two months that you have been admitted to St. Mungo's and let just not forget several others over the last three years." He looked at her with pleading eyes.

She hated to see her friend pleading like this. She felt so helpless but she couldn't tell him.

"It's nothing. I was coming to meet George anyway. I was just tired and passed out in front of his shop. You know how I overexert myself with work" Hermione joked.

She knew it was a lame excuse. As lame as her tripping down the stairs at home and breaking three ribs, but it will have to work. It was her own fight. She can not tell him this. She can not risk telling him.

Harry was disappointed, he was tired of her lying to him all the time. "You know you could tell me 'Mione. I will help you." He tried one last time. He had asked her several times in last few years about this but she has never answered him. He just hoped that she will tell him before something worse happens.

"I wish I could Harry. I wish I could..." Hermione looked away from him. She was not able to look at him in the eye when he looked so hurt all because of her.

Four years ago she could not think of a single way in which she could hurt him. But everything changed that night.

It was two months after she was told by the Australian Ministry that her parents had died in a car crash. Ron was staying at The Burrow and she was just going to sleep alone when she heard shuffling in her living room.

It was too late for Ron to come back. Instinctively she pulled out her wand and moved to check what was the matter.

Standing in her living room were with Parkinson, Adrian Pucey, Rodolphus and Rabastan Lestrange. These were all death eaters who had escaped from the ministry after the war. Parkinson's family had been questioned about his whereabouts for days but nothing came out. They were all dangerous. She could not handle them alone, but also she could not find a way too get out with four wands pointing at her face.

How had they entered her flat? She had no idea! She had warded it well, only Harry, Ron or the other Weasleys could enter, but clearly it was not good enough.

" Why are you here? Leave or I will call the aurors".

"Oh you will do no such thing! After all, we have something precious of yours to show you". Parkinson smirked at her confused expression.

They all moved aside and she saw her parents laying on the carpet, their hands tied behind their back. Her eyes went completely round, how could be this possible. Her parents were dead she had grieved for two months for them. Who were these people?

Maybe these death eater bastards had polyjucied someone else into them to scare her. But that again was not possible, they would have needed something of her parents.

She simply looked at the death eaters, "Who are these people?".

Rodolphus laughed, a hollow laugh. "Don't be ridiculous, Granger. These are your parents of course" .

Hermione looked at him " My parents are dead Lestrange." She hid her worry with sneering. Whoever these two people were, because they were definitely not her parents, she had to get them out.

"Oh no, Mudblood! These are your parents. You seriously aren't that naive to believe the ministry people to tell you the truth, are you? They were just afraid we will cause a similar war in Australia and wanted to get rid of as many British people as they could. It was rather easy getting your parents. Just few threats, few galleons here and there and we knew who your parents were" Rodolphus grinned moving his wand causally between his fingers.

Hermione was stunned. How could he know that her parents were in Australia? She had made sure to cover all her tracks. She had gone through that several times. No harm was done to them during the war.

A week after the war she was in Australia to get them when the ministry had told her that they had died in a car crash, just two days before she came. She was angry, angry at the ministry, angry at the bus who hit them, angry at herself that she had waited a week to get them. Hermione wasn't even lucky to get their dead bodies as the fire completely burned it.

Then who were these people? Were they telling her the truth? Could it be possible that these death eaters have taken them and the ministry had just lied to her under threat? If this was the case, she really didn't know whether she should be happy that they are alive or sad that they got kidnapped and tortured. Of course she was happy that they were alive! But how could she get them out of this?

"My parents died in a car accident, Lestrange. Stop passing some random people as them. These are not my parents". She said in hope that they will let them go if they believed these are not her parents. But she was wrong.

Parkinson moved to the front and said, "go check for yourself, girl. They don't recognize you of course! You did rather a good job with the oblivation charm, even with all the crucio they had, we were not able to break the spell. But I think you will find a way to know that these are your parents".

Hermione was horrified that they used the cruciatus curse, but these were Voldemort's follower, what else will they do. She moved swiftly to check her parents. Both of them were unconscious. There were many bruises and cuts. Their clothes were torn at different places. She could see that they had been starved for several days.

She checked for all kind of magic, she did the blood check. Her oblivation spell was still intact. It all showed that they were actually her parents. Tears rolled down her eyes. She wanted to just hug them and cry. But she could not do so, she could not show weakness in front of these people. They would have killed all of them.

She stood facing them. Standing in front of her parents, protecting them, her wands drawn, her hair wild. She looked like a fierce fighter.

If they had not killed her parents and they are here then they had a purpose. She needed to find it.

"What do you want?"

Parkinson sat down on the sofa, "Safety. We want you to keep us out of the clutches of ministry", he drawled casually.

" You have been doing a good job at that, why do you need me, now?" She was thinking, thinking hard to find a way to escape.

"Well, you see, we want help from someone within the ministry to stay away from them forever. "

"You asked the wrong person, Parkinson. I will never, never help you."

" I think you are mistaken, Granger. Why do you think we have your parents here?"

Hermione moved closer to her parents, as close as it was possible, without it looking that she was scared. "You will not touch them, any of you." She moved her wand in semi circle.

Rodolphus came forward, "We don't intend to, if you agree to our simple terms".

"What are those?" Hermione had no option than to hear him.

" You will tell us about every move the ministry makes to capture us, keep them off or trail, just things like this." Rodolphus offered.

Hermione did not want to agree to this but could not help it. She nodded, "Fine, Lestrange. I will do that. Now leave us, alone."

"Not like this. I am not a fool to believe your words or to leave your parents so soon. I will need an unbreakable vow." Rabastan said extending his wand arm.

"Unbreakable Vow? I will do no such thing. I will not endanger my life for people like you".

"Not for us, Granger, but for them. We don't see any other use of them." Parkinson lowered his eyes to her parents.

Hermione argued with them threatened them but nothing helped at last she had to give into their conditions."I have some conditions too"

Rodolphus and Hermione stood facing each other, their wand hand connected, Rabastan moved to perform the magic. With the movement of his wand a golden string encircled the arms of Hermione and Rodolphus.

Rodolphus spook first, "Will You, Hermione Granger, keep the ministry off my tracks and inform me of their every movement ?"

"I will"

"Will you, Hermione Granger, not speak of your parents or of this meeting to Harry Potter or to The Order of Phoenix or to any of their alias."

"I will"

"Will you, Rodolphus Lestrange, never harm my parents, my friends or me in any form and never ask anyone else to do it?"

"I will"

With the completion of the vow, Hermione felt a tug at her wrist. Rabastan exchanged places with Rodolphus and then with Parkinson at last Parkinson with Pucey.

They all left soon after, leaving her parents behind.

"Hi, Hermione" George waved from the doorway.

Hermione was thrown in the present, lost in her world she had not noticed Harry leaving. "Hey, George." She motioned him to come sit beside her.

Hermione has grown close to him after the war. He had somehow understood her silence after her parents death and also understood Ron and her break-up. She had opened up to him, telling him everything about her daily life, except about her parents. Whatever little time Hermione got she would spend it with him. With the loss of Fred and her parents they had filled the empty parts of each other.

Soon she was laughing on some joke George cracked, forgetting for the moment about her parents who were living in their old home in London and whom she had told that they had lost the memory of an year after the car accident and who had no idea of her being magical but loved their daughter anyway.

 _ **A/N:- I am so sorry for this delay. I got my semester exams in between but finally I have graduated! wohooo!  
**_

 _ **I hope you like the story. Please, please, please review and let me know what you think? What are your views on Hermione's situation?**_

 _ **I will write more soon ;)**_

 _ **Love,**_

 _ **Ankita**_


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